Stage-lift flowing device



June 24, 1930. A. BOYNTON STAGE LIFT FLOWING DEVICE Filed May 1927 2Sheets-Sheet l swam H100 June 24, 1930, BOYNTON 1,768,109

{STAGE LIFT FLOWING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvewfo'a'1 71. EA fi/Y DE r150 YN fa/v Patent ed June 24, 1930 PATENT OFFICEALEXANDER IBOYN'I'ON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS STAGE-LIFT rnowm DEVICEApplication filed May 6, 1927. Serial No. 189,303.

This invention relates to a fluid lift and more particularly to a meansby which a well may be flowed through the tubing or caslng. Brieflystated an important ob ect of the 5 invention is to provide a fluid liftembodying simple means by which the respons veness of the same tovariations in the casing and tubing pressures may be regulated.

j A further aim is to provide an automat c stage lift valve which is ofhighly s1mpl1- 'fied construction, durable in use and capable of readyadjustment preparatory to the incor oration of the same in a tubin therobjects and advantages wil beapdescription.

-'In the accompanying drawings form ng a part of this application and inwhich l ke numerals are employed to designate like parts through thesame,

v Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the flowing deviceapplied,

Figure 2 is a perspective of a spring and a valve carried thereby,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device applied,

Figure 5 is a perspective of a slight modification of the invention.

In the drawing the numeral 5 designates a tubular body having suitablemeans at the ends thereof by which the same may be incorporated in awell tubing and havin a port 6 for the admission or discharge 0 a fluidlifting medium, such as compressed air or gas. For the compressed air or:gas an outside source of supply may be relied on or gas from the wellbeing flowed may be employed provided the pressure thereof issuflicient.

Tn carrying out the invention the body is provided adjacent the port6with a housing having lateral and depending flanges 8 and 9 respectivelyand a bushing 10. Fig ure 1 clearly illustrates that the bushing 10is'mounted on the body and is received within the depending flange 9 todefine a chamber for the reception of an annular leaf spring 12.

parent during the course of the following mg screw 18 is threaded 1ntothe body and The leaf spring 12 is provided between the ends thereofwith a double headed valve 14 adapted to control the flow of compressedair or gas through the port 6 and a second port 16 in the dependingflange 9 of the housing. Figure 3 clearly illustrates that the ports 6and 16 are substantially in regis ter and have the opposed ends thereofformed with seats adapted to be engaged by the double headed valve 14.The leaf spring 12 normally holds the double headed valve 14 in theunseated position illustrated in Figure 3 and has the ends thereofbifurcated to provide branches which straddle the shank of an adjustingscrew 18. The adjustwhen firmly seated will hold the spring in anadjusted position. More specifically the effective length orcircumference of the spring may be varied by changing the extent ofoverlap of the bifurcated end portions of the spring. Also the adjustingscrew 18 provides a simple means by which the double headed valve may beaccurately positioned in line with the ports 6 and 16. The head of theadjusting screw 18 is shown in Figure 3 to be extended through a radialopening in the flange 9 so that the same is easily accessible foradjustment.

Subsequent to the application and adjustment of the double acting doubleheaded ValVe 14 and the spring 12 the bushing 10 is slipped onto thebody and adjusted with respect to the leaf spring so that the movementof the lifting fluid or medium between the edges of the leaf spring andthe opposed walls of the housing may be regulated. Figure 1 clearlyillustrates that the spaces be-' tween the edges of the spring 12 andthe opposed walls of the annular chamber within which the spring ispositioned establish communication between the ports 6 and 16. By' wayof further explaining the reason for providing for the adjustment of thebushing 10 it might be stated that the area of the passages between theedges of the spring 12 and the opposed Walls of the valve chamber may beregulated by the longitudinal adjustment of the bushing on the body. Forexample, if it is desired to provide for the opposed walls of thechamber. It is believed to be clear from the foregoing that the springis movably mounted and is retained within the zone of influence of thevarying pressures within the tubing and the casing.

It will be observed that the housing, including the flanges 8 and 9 andthe bushing 10 are eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis ofthe body to provide for the flexing of the spring 12 intermediate theends thereof in response to variations in pressure.

The lower portion of the bushing 10 is provided with a tubular extensionor neck received within the internally enlarged upper portion of anadjusting nut 26 threaded on the lower portion of the body. The lowerend of the tubular neck and the adjacent portion of the adjusting nutare correspondingly beveled for contact. When the adjusting nut isadvanced on the body the bushing will be moved a greater distance intothe depending flange 9 and when the nut is retracted the bushing will bepartly or completely withdrawn from the flange 9, depending of course onthe extent of movement of the nut. When the bushing has been properlyadjusted the same may be locked in place by a rlng nut 28 threaded onthe bushing and engaged with the lower edge of the flange 9. The opposededges of the flange 9 and the ring nut may be beveled for gas tightcontact with each other.

In practice the sprin 12 and the double acting valve is first appliedand adjusted and the bushing is then slipped onto the body and 1sadjusted as explained, after which the same is locked in place by thering nut 28.

If it is desired to flow the well through the tubing a fluid liftingmedium is introduced through the port 16 and is passed about the edgesof the spring 12 and enters the body 5 by way of the port 6. When a lowpressure differential obtains between the tubing and easing fluids thevalve will remain unseated.

However, as a result of the movement of the I oil or other fluid beingflowed the pressure within the tubing drops thereby increasing thediiferential between the casing and tub-. ing fluids so that the valveis moved in the direction of the port 6 to diminish or possibly out oflthe supply of fluid lifting medium to the tubing. The subsequentincrease in pressure within the tubing will result in the outwardmovement of the valve so that the supply of lifting medium is increasedor renewed.

If the well is to be flowed through the easing the lifting medium issupplied through the tubing and when a low differential obtains betweenthe pressures of the casing and tubing fluids the valve will remainunseated so that the lifting medium may pass about the edges of the leafspring and enter the casing by way of the port/16. The upward movementof the oil or other fluid being flowed will increase the pressuredifferential with the result that the valve is moved outwardly in thedirection of the port 16 to diminish or cut off the supply of liftingmedium to the casing. It will be seen that this will result in a lowdifferential so that the double acting valve may be moved away from theport 16 to bring about an increase or renewed supply of compressed airor gas.

With reference to the foregoing description it will be seen that thesuccessful operation of the invention is dependent on maintaining theleaf spring 12 within the zone of influence of the varying pressures inthe tubing and casing and that the supply of lifting medium is conservedsince the double acting valve allows of the employment of the liftingmedium only at the most advantageous periods.

If'desired the spring shown in Figure 1 may be laminated and by way ofillustrating this point in Figure 5 I have shown a spring consisting ofinterfitting sections or laminations transversely slotted as shown at 40to receive the grooved intermediate portion of a double acting doubleheaded valve 41. The laminations of the spring shown in Figure 5 havethe transverse slots therein'extending out through opposite edges sothat the valve 41 will be locked in place by the opposed closed ends ofthe slot. The laminations of the spring shown in Figure 5 may bebifurcated and overlapped for engagement by a pressure screw by whichthe spring may be adjusted for admitting the lifting medium in therequired volume.

Having thus described the invention, is claimed is:

1. A fluid control valve for wells comprising a body having a housing,one wall of which is adjustable, said body being provided with a portfor the movement of a fluid lifting medium, and a valve withinsaidhousing and controlling said port and bemg provided with a movablesupport within the zone of influence of the varying pressures interiorlyand exterior-1y of the body, said support and said adjustable wall ofthe housing cooperating in the formation of a passage for a fluidlifting medium.

2. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a housing provided withan adjustable wall, a spring within said housing and having a doubleacting valve, said housing and said body being provided with ports forthe passage of a fluid, lifting medium, said what adjustable wallcooperating with said spring in the formation of a passage for a fluidlifting medium.

3. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a housing provided withan adjustable bushing forming one wall of the housing, a nut carried bysaid body and engaged with said bushing for adjusting the same said bodyhaving a port, and a valve control ling said port and having asupporting spring cooperating with said bushing in forming a flowpassage.

4. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a housing provided witha movable bushing, a nut carried by said body and engaged with saidbushing for adjusting the same, a valve within said housing and having asupporting spring cooperating with said bushing in forming a flowpassage, and a locking device for said bushing said body being providedwith a port controlled by said valve.

5. In a stage lift flowing device a body having an eccentricallydisposed housing, said housing and said body' being provided withtwo-way ports for the passage of a fluid lifting medium, a leaf springbetween said ports and having a valve to control the ports.

6. In a stage lift flowing device a body having an eccentricallydisposed housing, said housing and said body being provided with two-wayports for the passage of a fluid lifting medium, and a leaf springbetween said ports and havin a valve to control the ports, said springbeing within the housing and being exposed through said ports to thevarying pressures interiorly and exteriorly of the body.

7. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a housing, provided withtwo-way ports for the passage of a fluid lifting medium, a leaf springbetween said ports and having a valve to control the ports, a bushingcooperating with the housing in forming a valve chamber and with thespring in forming a flow passage, and means to hold the bushing in anadjusted position with respect to said spring, said housing and thebushing thereof being eccentrically disposed with respect to said bodyto provide an enlarged space for the movement of said valve and theadjacent portion of said spring.

8. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a two-way port for thepassage of a fluid lifting medium, a leaf spring having a valvecontrolling said port, said leaf spring being provided with ends adaptedto be overlapped, and a holding and adjusting device for clamping theends of the spring in place the spring being within the zone ofinfluence of and actuated by the varying pressures interiorly andexteriorly of the body.

9. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a two-way port for thepassage of a fluid lifting medium, a leaf spring having a valvecontrolling said port, said leaf spring being (provided with endsadapted to be overlappe and a holding and adjusting device for clampingthe ends of the spring in place, said body being provided with a housingenclosing said spring.

10. In a stage lift flowing device a body having a housing provided withan eccentrically disposed annular flange and a bushing adjustablyreceived within said flange, said body and said flange being providedwith overlapped, and an anchoring and adjusting device extending throughand clamping the bifurcated ends of said spring and regulating theeffective length of the sprlng.

In testimony whereof I affix my si ature.

ALEXANDER BOYN ON.

